


Keeping Keener

by shipskicksandgiggles



Series: what if the avengers had brain cells and ca:cw never happened [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adoption, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Misgendering, Name Changes, Parent Tony Stark, The Author Projects, Tiny fit of Fluff, Trans Harley Keener, Trans Male Character, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:48:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22539622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipskicksandgiggles/pseuds/shipskicksandgiggles
Summary: Rose Hill, Tennessee is not known for being accepting. A midnight visitor is, and ends up changing a little boy's life for the better. Still don't forget to listen to your parents and carefully consider your decisions, and dinner is at 6:00.  (this is a prequel, but can be read as a standalone)
Series: what if the avengers had brain cells and ca:cw never happened [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1458838
Comments: 4
Kudos: 148





	Keeping Keener

**Author's Note:**

> so i've been meaning to start working on the origins to this series, and this is the beginning beginning. I'm really happy with how this one turned out, and a lot of personal issues kinda went into it, but thats okay. trans Harley has been one of my favorite headcanons for the longest, and I'm glad I get to work that into this series.

Hell wasn’t overly hot or overly cold. It was moderate. Middle of America Rose Hill, Tennessee levels of moderate. There was nothing but farmland and cattle and old religious people for miles around, and Harley was suffering. The air felt stuffy. 

“Harley, sweetheart? Is that you?”

“Yes, Mrs. Johnson, it’s me.”

“Bring your cute self over here, honey! I’ve got a dress I think you’ll like.”

But Harley doesn’t wear dresses. Because Harley isn’t a girl. “No, thank you ma’am. I’d best be on my way home.”

“Your mama help me pick this one out, baby. I think you can wait a few minutes.” Audrey Keener thought she knew what was best for him, but she only saw the daughter she wishes she had. 

“I have a sister, Mrs. Johnson, and with all due respect, because _my mama_ ain’t home, I gotta go take care of her. Give a girl the dress, I’m sure she’ll appreciate it. Boys aren’t meant to wear dresses.” 

See, Harley was out very publically. No one really knew how he learned about trans people with it being such a conservative small town (thanks Internet), but the moment he knew for certain, he said fuck it. Some may see this as him creating his own hell, but Harley truly believed that if he wasn’t being himself, there was really no point in living at all. 

He wuthered the dirty looks and harsh whispers of disgust. His mother wouldn’t call him her son, and it wasn’t like his dad was around anyways, so who cares? Abbie never minded. The moment he told her, she switched to calling him the correct pronouns. His name was gender neutral, so he never bothered to change it. 

Tony Stark came into his life shortly after he came to terms with his identity. This man he idolized so much as a child had dropped right out of the sky into his backyard. When he introduced himself, Tony had never questioned his gender. Being identified as a guy felt so good, even if it was only for a few days. 

Except it wasn’t just a few days. Tony kept in touch. Which meant Tony knew all the bullshit he had been through. He’d even offered to get him out of Rose Hell, sorry no, Rose _Hill_ , more than once. 

“Harley, I don’t know when you’re gonna be over playing these little games, but when you’re back to your _normal_ self, you’re gonna want dresses.”

“Mrs. Johnson, no of-fucking-fense, but this is ‘ _my normal self,_ ’ so with all due respect, I’ll be on my way.” And with that, he spun on his heel and walked away. He wasn’t even out of earshot when the old hag heard, “yeah Tony I’m done. Come and get me.”

~~~

So Tony Stark petitioned to adopt Harley and his sister. He never even had to mention that Harley was trans. Apparently she was neglectful and unfit even _without_ that. Who knew, right? 

The adoption happened, and Harley couldn’t be happier. New York was incredible, and the Avengers were great. Abbie had latched on to Pepper without a second thought, and Tony was the greatest dad he could have asked for. Tony cried the first time he’d called him dad, and he hadn’t let Harley out of a hug for 10 minutes. 

The best part in all of this was how accepting Tony was. Harley had been put on T right away, and when he was ready, Tony was prepared to schedule gender reassignment surgeries. Only one thing was left to be done.

Harley’s middle name from birth had been Audrey after his mom. He never used it, and honestly, he forgot about it most days, so he wouldn’t blame Tony for doing the same. Except Tony hadn’t forgotten. 

There was a knock on his bedroom door because Tony respected his privacy like Audrey never did. “Hey kiddo? Can I talk to you about something?” came his voice. 

“Sure, what’s up?”

The door opened slowly. “We need to change your middle name,” he said. “Have you put any thought into it?”

Harley was shocked. “I haven’t actually.”  
  


“Well obviously it can be anything you want, but I had an idea if you wanted to stick to the tradition of the parent choosing the middle name.” 

Wow, he’s really thought this through. “Sure dad. What’s your idea?”

“James. Harley James Stark. Always said if I had a boy I’d give him Rhodey’s name, and even if that boy happens to be adopted-”

Harley practically threw himself into his dad’s arms. “I’d love that. James is perfect, but I do have one request.”

“Anything, kiddo.”

“Can my last name be hyphenated? Like Keener-Stark?”

“I mean sure, but don’t you want to leave that part of your life behind?”

“You’re doing that with my middle name, dad. I want to keep Keener because I don’t want that last name to go down with my biological parents. Keeping Keener means I have a chance to create a new legacy and redeem my name, if that makes sense.”

Tony looked stunned. “Yeah that makes perfect sense. I think you’re wiser than me, Harley.”

“Them’s the facts, dad. Looks like you’re just a pretty face now.”

“And I’m the prettiest face you ever saw.” Tony gave him one last hug and went to leave the room. “Dinner’s in 10, by the way, so don’t be late Harley James.” 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr at [with-this-pen-as-my-s-h-i-e-l-d](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/with-this-pen-as-my-s-h-i-e-l-d)


End file.
